Since the brains of adolescents are built for connection, the attraction of the phone can be particularly difficult to resist. “Even things that seem neutral or benign can play on these adolescent vulnerabilities,” said James. “Adolescents care about what their friends think, they care very much about the status of their friendships, their place in the world and the way people look at them.”
However, adults also feel the attraction of persuasive design characteristics such as notifications, infinite parchment and streaks too. Recognition can increase empathy and build common ground, which can move adults from a “we against them” state of mind to a “us and them” approach.
To help students notice how technology can influence their thinking models, the center has created a glossary of seven thinking traps, taken from cognitive-behavioral therapy. These include “reading the mind”, “personalization” and “all or nothing”. The simple fact of learning these traps can make them easier to manage. “We hope that opens up a more important conversation on some of the psychological vulnerabilities that we all have,” said James. “We can recognize that some of what we read may not be real.” Young people are also encouraged to prove themselves when they recognize that they fall into these models of thought by seeing what evidence they have and wondering what advice they would give to a friend who knows this same trap of thought.
Start with values, not applications
When children seem stressed or glued to their screens, many parents start by asking: “What is on Instagram?” Or “Why is Tiktok attracting you?” James recommended a different approach that focuses on children’s needs rather than technology itself. A useful tool is value sorting, which asks students to select personal values such as honesty, creativity or justice and to think about how technology helps or hinders these values. “And in some cases, with the same value, it can be a bit of both,” said James.
This type of reflection makes room for the student agency. Instead of saying what matters, young people can name what is important to them. And this often motivates more significant conversations. James also highlights a study where researchers have examined design tips such as notifications and pop-up ads using values as a framework. “They have established the link between these design characteristics and values such as autonomy and equity and justice that adolescents tend to worry,” said James. She noted that highlighting values such as autonomy and equity is generally an effective motivator for students because they do not want to tell them what to do, whether by their parents or their devices.
Technological habits, no technological shame
Many students already feel in conflict of their relationship with screens. In interviews, they told James things like: “I don’t want to come back to my childhood and think that I wasted on a useless game” or “my friends are always stuck on their phones and me too. And I hate it. ”
To help children feel less alone and more empowered, the center has created the challenge of technological habits. Students did you associate each other and interview each other using a guided worksheet, starting with questions such as: “What is the technology technology that you feel good?” Directing with a positive question signals to students that we see the right things they already do to take care of their digital well-being, said James.
Then they think about a habit they want to change, which may include verification of a certain application or use it differently. Students create a five -day plan, think about alternatives and identify someone to keep them responsible. Above all, students choose the objective themselves. A student, for example, wanted to continue using Snapchat, but reduce the checking of the location of his boyfriend. His goal was not to leave, but to use the application in a way that aligned better with its values.
